Sputnik

By Paul Dickson

Subjects: Astronautics and state, Politics and government, Space race, Artificial satellites, Soviet union, history, 20th century, Astronautique, Satellites artificiels soviʹetiques, Opinion publique, Sputnik satellites, Politique et gouvernement, Political aspects of Russian artificial satellites, Politique gouvernementale, Sputnik, Public opinion, Public opinion, united states, Russian Artificial satellites, Aspect politique, History, Political aspects, United states, politics and government, 20th century

Description: "On October 4, 1957, as Leave It to Beaver premiered on American television, the Soviet Union launced the first man-made object into space, a 184-pound satellite carrying only a radio transmitter. While Sputnik I immediately shocked the world, its long-term impact was even greater, for it profoundly changed the shape of the twentieth century.". "Washington journalist Paul Dickson chronicles the dramatic events and developments leading up to and emanating from Sputnik's launch - a story that can only now be fully told with the recent release of previously classified documents. Sputnik offers a fascinating profile of the early American and Soviet space programs and a strikingly revised picture of politics and personalities behind the facade of America's fledgling efforts to get into space."--BOOK JACKET.